(From 'Jeevani - Ayurveda for Women' by Dr. P.L.T. Girija)
PROTEIN
Ayurveda and Western science of nutrition perceive the properties of the same substance differently. This can be explained with the example of
so-called protein-rich food. Many patients with severe joint pains
approach us for Ayurvedic treatment. Joint pains, in general, are caused
by the aggravation of Vata and therefore these patients are advised to
keep away from all Vata-aggravating food such as pulses / dals. Patients
who are vegetarians immediately worry about the lack of protein-intake.
Let us look at two substances which are said to be rich in protein, namely pulses and meat. The protein from pulses is known as pulse protein and the other as meat-protein. Both these essentially constitute the protein-rich part of our diet.Many modern vegetarians, wanting to increase their protein intake end up consuming large quantities of dals in the form of sprouts and curries. From an
Ayurvedic point of view, consuming large quantities of dal (barring urad dal) leads to aggravation of Vata in the body.
In contrast to pulses, the most important property of meat is that it controls the aggravation of Vata. Therefore, meat soup or mamsa rasa is the food of choice in many major Vata diseases. Thus even though both meat and pulses are protein according to Western nutrition, and ought to be more or less similar in properties and in their action in the body, pulse and meat in fact possess opposite qualities according to Ayurveda.
Meat and meat soup are generally heavy to digest and are avoided in Kapha diseases, whereas pulses in general are easy to digest. A soup made of pulse (yusha) is the ideal diet when Kapha is aggravated.
Let us look at two substances which are said to be rich in protein, namely pulses and meat. The protein from pulses is known as pulse protein and the other as meat-protein. Both these essentially constitute the protein-rich part of our diet.Many modern vegetarians, wanting to increase their protein intake end up consuming large quantities of dals in the form of sprouts and curries. From an
Ayurvedic point of view, consuming large quantities of dal (barring urad dal) leads to aggravation of Vata in the body.
In contrast to pulses, the most important property of meat is that it controls the aggravation of Vata. Therefore, meat soup or mamsa rasa is the food of choice in many major Vata diseases. Thus even though both meat and pulses are protein according to Western nutrition, and ought to be more or less similar in properties and in their action in the body, pulse and meat in fact possess opposite qualities according to Ayurveda.
Meat and meat soup are generally heavy to digest and are avoided in Kapha diseases, whereas pulses in general are easy to digest. A soup made of pulse (yusha) is the ideal diet when Kapha is aggravated.
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